July – takes the place of Graham Thorpe in the Test squad after Thorpe announces his retirement from Test cricket. Pietersen becomes the fourth England player to top-score in both innings on debut with scores of 57 and 64

September – helps England win the Ashes series against Australia 2-1 after scoring 158 in the fifth Test at the Oval, earning himself man-of-the-match and the accolade of highest scorer in the series with 473

2009January – controversy hits the England squad as Pietersen steps down as England captain due to 'irretrievable breakdown of relationship between captain and coach'. England coach, Peter Moores, is sacked in the process

July – despite top-scoring with 69 on the opening day of the 2009 home Ashes series, Pietersen is criticised for playing a sweep which leads to his dismissal. Pietersen injures himself in the second Test and his tour is ended

November – playing in a Test series in the country of his birth for the first time, Pietersen struggles, recording only 177 runs in six innings. Receives ridicule for a run-out in the first Test at Centurion

2012May – feeling trapped by his central England contract and wanting to play more in the Indian Premier League, Pietersen announces his retirement from international one-day cricket. The ECB demands all or nothing, and drops Pietersen from the September World T20 squad

August – hero to zero: reaches 7,000 runs faster than any batsman when he hits 149 in second Test against South Africa. But he is then axed from the team for the third because of disparaging texts he sent to opposition players

2014January – top-scores among England batsmen in 5-0 Ashes defeat yet receives blame for his carefree, attacking approach, with Geoffrey Boycott saying he 'bottles it'. Pietersen reiterates his desire to play on until at least 2015, and to help England regain the Ashes